Candy container removably connected to a child{40 s cap

ABSTRACT

A candy container with a hinged cover, the container being connected to the top of a child&#39;&#39;s cap by a universal joint that permits the container to be moved into different angular positions with respect to the cap. In addition, the container with its universal joint may be temporarily disconnected from the cap and a cord extends from the universal joint to a springbiased drum mounted in the cap thus permitting the child while wearing the cap to remove the container with its universal joint from the cap, the cord being unwound from the spring biased roller during this movement so that the child can hold the container in front of him and open the cover for removing candy from the container or adding candy thereto. When this is accomplished, the child can return the container and universal joint to its normal position on the cap, the spring-biased drum winding up the cord.

United States Patent [1 1 Bohannan CANDY CONTAINER REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO A CHILD S CAP Lawson E. Bohannan, 815 Lexington St., Milpitas, Calif. 95035 [22] Filed: Feb. 9, 1973 [211 App]. No.: 331,226

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 224/5 R, 2/l99 [51] Int. Cl. A4Sf 5/02 [58] Field of Search 224/5 R, 28 B, 26 R, 5 G,

Primary ExaminerRobert G. Sheridan Assistant ExaminerJerold M. Forsberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William R. Piper [451 May28, 1974 57 ABSTRACT A candy container with a hinged cover, the container being connected to the top of a childs cap by a universal joint that permits the container to be moved into different angular positions with respect to the cap In addition, the container with its universal joint may be temporarily disconnected from the cap and a cord extends from the universal joint to a springbiased drum mounted in the cap thus permitting the child while wearing the cap to remove the container with its universal joint from the cap, the cord being unwound from the spring biased roller during this movement so that the child can hold the container in front of him and open the cover for removing candy from the container or adding candy thereto. When this is accomplished, the child can return the container and universal joint to its normal position on the. cap, the spring-biased drum winding up the cord.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CANDY CONTAINER REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO A CHILD'S CAP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention. Children like to eat jelly beans and so the container for holding the jelly beans is made in the shape of a greatly enlarged jelly bean. A child also likes to have his hands free and enjoys wearing ornaments of any kind. These two facts have been combined in that the jelly bean shaped container functions as an ornament for the child and it is mounted on top of a cap so as to free the childs hands to do whatever he desires. The container mounted on the cap can be swung into any angular position desired because the universal joint permits this. Furthermore, novel means is provided for permitting the container with its universal joint to be pulled free from the cap so that the child can hold the container in his hands while removing candy therefrom or adding candy or other small items thereto. A cord connects the container to a springbaised drum mounted in the cap and the coil spring will cause the drum to wind up the cord as the child moves the container and universal joint back into a position to be supported by the cap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of my invention is to provide a novel way for supporting a candy holding container on the top of a cap that is worn by a child. The connection between the container and the cap is a universal joint which permits the container to be swung into different angular positions on the cap.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means for connecting one end of a cord to the container and universal joint and connecting the other cord end to a spring-biased drum mounted on the cap so that the child can remove the container and universal joint from the cap and the cord will unwind from the drum and will prevent the container from becoming lost. The cord is long enough so that the child can hold the container in front of him while opening the hinged cover to give access to the interior of the container. The spring-biased drum will automatically wind the cord onto the drum as the child returns the container and the universal joint back to its mounting on the cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a front elevation of the cap and container and shows in dot-dash lines how the container and universal joint can be disconnected from-the cap, but a cord extends from the universal joint to the cap where it is connected to a spring-biased drum, not shown in this Figure.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the universal joint and a portion of the cap so as to disclose the spring-biased drum mounted in the cap and a cord extending from the drum to the universal joint.

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and shows the socket of the univeral joint in section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT ln carrying out my invention, I provide a childs cap indicated generally at A, in FIG. I. The cap may be made out of any desired material, such as cloth or plastic and it is provided with an adjustable strap B that extends under the chin of the wearer. I also provide a container, indicated generally at C, and it is preferably in the shape of a large jelly bean. The container is made out of plastic and it has a cover D hinged at 1 so as to be swingable into open position. The cover has a plastic projection 2 that yieldingly engages with an internal rib 3, formed at the mouth of the container C for yieldingly holding the cover in closed position.

I will now set forth the novel means for removably connecting the container C to the cap A, see FIGS. 2 and 3. The container is supported substantially at its mid-point by a universal joint that in turn is-connected to the top of the cap A. The universal joint comprises a ball-shaped member E that has an integral stem 4 connected to the container C. The ball E is rockably received in a cup-shaped member F. The base 5 of the cup-shaped member F has a bevelled rim and the base is removably mounted in a socket 6 formed in the top of a housing G that is mounted in the top of the cap A, and the socket 6 has an annular bevelled edge that snugly receives the bevelled rim of the base 5. The housing G supports a spring-biased drum H.

The base 5 for the cup-shaped member F has a snap fit in the socket 6 formed in the top of the housing G. A plurality of small plastic prongs 7, see FIGS. l and 3, line the rim of the socket 6 and yieldingly engage with the bevelled rim of the base 5 for normally retaining the base in the socket. However, these prongs 7 will yield when the cup-shaped member F is manually grasped and pulled to free the base 5 from the socket 6 in the top of the housing G.

The housing G is removably received in an opening 8 provided in the top of the cap A, see FIGS. 2 and 3, and the lower open end of the housing abuts a partition 9 that is spaced below the top central portion of the cap and merges into the cap so as to form a smooth interior for the head of the wearer. Inwardly extending plastic prongs III are integral with the cap and are arranged in spaced relation around the rim of the opening 8 in the cap. These prongs M) yieldingly engage with the top of the housing G and will hold the housing from accidental removal from the cap when the cupshaped member F is manually freed with its base 5 from the socket 6. However, if it is desirable to remove the housing G from the cap A so as to inspect the spring-biased drum H and the cord III, this can be done. It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the top of the housing G has an integral and outwardly flared circular flange 12. This flange may be gripped for manually removing the housing G from the cap A and the prongs 10 will yield sufficiently to permit this removal. After the inspection, the housing G may be reinserted back into the opening 3 and the prongs MB will again grip the top of the housing to hold it in place.

FIG. 3 shows the center of the socket 6 having an opening therein. The bottom of the base 5 has a central integral eyelet 13 that projects into this opening. The free end of the cord 11 is tied to the eyelet and in this way the container C is prevented from becoming lost when it and the universal joint are pulled free of the hat. I provide means for releasably holding the spring biased drum H from winding up the cord 11 when a certain portion of the cord has been unwound from the drum. The right hand rim of the drum, shown in FIG. 2, has a plurality and spaced apart transversely extending grooves, see FIG. 3, where the grooves are shown at 14. A leaf spring catch 15 is mounted in the housing G and has its free end yieldingly engaging with the rim of the drum that has the transverse grooves 14 therein. The leaf spring catch 15 when engaging with a groove 13 in the drum rim exerts enough force to prevent the spring-biased drum from rotating in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3 for winding up the cord 11. But if the child should pull on the extended portion of the cord 13 with sufficient force to free the spring catch 15 from the groove in which it has been resting, and then quickly releases the cord, the coil spring 16 will revolve the drum H counterclockwise so rapidly that the spring catch 15 will ride over the grooves 14 in the drum rim and permit the drum to wind up the extended portion of the cord 11 and bring the container C and the universal joint with its base back into the full line position shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate the central portion of the cap top as having a plurality of air vent openings 17 and the partition 9 also has air vent openings 18. These air openings permit a circulation of air within the cap. The openings 16 and 17 may be shaped like a jelly bean so as to have the same shape as the container C, but on a much smaller scale.

OPERATION From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The child can secure the cap to his head by adjusting the strap B. The jelly bean shaped container C may have jelly beans therein if desired. When the child wishes to gain access to the interior of the container C, he may pull on the container with sufficient force to free it and the ball joint with its base 5 from the socket 6 formed in the top of the housing G. The drum H will unwind the cord 11 so that the container and associate parts will still be connected to the cap A and therefore cannot become lost. The child can hold the container in his hands and open the cover D so as to remove jelly beans or other items from the container or add items to the container interior. When this is completed, the child moves the container C back into position on top of the cap. I have already explained how the spring-biased drum H can be maintained in an inactive position by the spring catch 15 until the child wishes to return the container to the top of the cap whereupon he can jerk on the cord 11 to rotate the drum H to free the catch from the groove 14 and then release the cord so as to permit the spring to rotate the drum for winding up the excess cord. The coil spring 16 may be strong enough to aid in pulling the container into its mounted position on top of the cap.

I also explained the function of the prongs 7 in removably holding the base 5 of the universal joint in the socket 6 of the housing G. The prongs 10 also removably hold the housing G in the cap and yet permit the housing to be removed when gaining access to the interior of the housing and the drum H.

I claim:

1. In combination:

a. a cap for wear on a persons head;

b. a container having a cover;

c. a universal joint operatively connecting the container to the top of the cap so that the container can be swung into various angular positions with respect to said cap;

d. said universal joint has a base that is removably mounted on the top of a housing which in turn is removably carried by said cap;

e. a spring-biased drum mounted in said housing and a cord wound thereon with the free end of the cord being connected to the base of said universal joint; and

f. whereby said universal joint and container can be pulled free of said housing, the cord being unwound from said drum during this movement.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1: and in which a. yielding means holds the base of said universal joint to said housing and yielding means secures said housing to said cap.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2: and in which a. the top of said housing lies flush with the exterior surface of said cap; and

b. the top of said housing being provided with an integral and outwardly flared circular flange that may be manually gripped for removing the housing from the cap. 

1. In combination: a. a cap for wear on a person''s head; b. a container having a cover; c. a universal joint operatively connecting the container to the top of the cap so that the container can be swung into various angular positions with respect to said cap; d. said universal joint has a base that is removably mounted on the top of a housing which in turn is removably carried by said cap; e. a spring-biased drum mounted in said housing and a cord wound thereon with the free end of the cord being connected to the base of said universal joint; and f. whereby said universal joint and container can be pulled free of said housing, the cord being unwound from said drum during this movement.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1: and in which a. yielding means holds the base of said universal joint to said housing and yielding means secures said housing to said cap.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2: anD in which a. the top of said housing lies flush with the exterior surface of said cap; and b. the top of said housing being provided with an integral and outwardly flared circular flange that may be manually gripped for removing the housing from the cap. 